Change of Plans
by Jazzilla
Summary: They were supposed to get the gas and return to signal Virgil. Of course, nothing ever seems to go according to plan for these four survivors. ONE-SHOT


Author's Note: Hey everybody! It's been a while since I've posted anything here on fanfiction, so I decided to upload this here Left 4 Dead 2 story i wrote a few weeks back. It's nothing special, but it is based off of an actual game I played with my friends on Hard Rain with Realism turned on. The dialogue is obviously made up by me, but the sequence of events is pretty much from what happened during that game session. Okay, there's the background, now I hope you enjoy and please leave any comments or criticism you might have!

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The rain has been falling harder than any other time since the four survivors came to this place. They had been sent out to look for gas to re-fuel their friend Virgil's boat so they could make it to New Orleans. It was supposed to be a quick scavenge hunt, but it turned out that the nearest gas station that still had fuel was more than 2 miles away from where they had been dropped off.

About a quarter of a mile to their destination, the storm clouds that had been looming overhead began to drop the first of many showers. The four survivors fought their way through the abandoned town, watching each other's back and making any infected tat got close enough feel sorry they had decided to mess with these particular survivors.

Some time later, they came upon an old sugar mill, and as they trekked deeper in, they discovered the place was crawling with Witches. They cautiously made their way around each wandering Witch they came upon, sometimes having to split up to ensure that no one startled any of them. After a short wait on an elevator, and a hop skip and a jump through a Witch infested sugar cane field, the survivors finally made it to the gas station and each strapped a can of diesel to their backs.

On their way back through the sugar mill, the rain really started to pick up, and had turned in to a full on monsoon. About five inches of water had risen up from the ground, impeding the survivor's progress any time they had no choice but to go through it. When they reached the neighborhood again, a strong downpour forced the survivors to separate, as it happened right when a rather large horde had come upon them.

In the ensuing panic, Nick suddenly found himself all alone in an empty two story house, and that wouldn't have worried him, if not for the fact that he could hear the low growls of a nearby Hunter. He tightened his grip around his AK-47 and cautiously searched each room of the house. The growls grew louder as he headed up the stairs, and he even started firing off randomly into every room after he kicked the door down.

With only one room to go, Nick knew he had the Hunter right where he wanted it. With a hard gulp and a deep breath, he shot the doorknob, kicked it open, and then fired every bullet he had left in his clip into the shadows. When his gun clicked empty, the Hunter's growls had ceased. He let his gun fall to his side, and with a smirk on his face, he turned to go and find the others.

That's when it hit him. Out of the shadows came the very Hunter he thought he had just killed. It pinned him against the wall and began tearing into his flesh with its elongated claws. It snarled and hissed as it ripped through his expensive suit, and after fifteen agonizing seconds, the sound of gunfire rang out over the sounds of his own screams, and the Hunter fell limp on top of him.

A bright light shined on his face, and he could barely make out the figure of Ellis standing over him with an outstretched hand. Nick was barely able to lift his hand up, but he did, and Ellis pulled him to his feet. Most of the wounds Nick had sustained were mere scratches, but one gash in particular, which ran up the side of his waist, was gushing blood at an alarming rate.

Having been out of first-aid kits since they came back through the sugar mill, the only thing Ellis had for his friend was a bottle of pain killers. It helped to slow the blood flow, but it also, made Nick slow and groggy as well. When they met back up with Coach and Rochelle, they all knew they would have to find him some real first-aid, and fast. Now all that stands between them, medical aid for Nick and a rescue from Virgil is one last stand at the very place where they had been dropped off.

"Come on Nick, we're almost there!" Rochelle tells her companion as the two of them trudge through the ankle level water at their feet.

"You hold in there brother. We're all gettin' out of this you here?" Coach says to try and boost his comrade's spirits.

Ellis runs ahead of the group and peers over the partially knocked down fence to make sure the coast is clear. He then waves his hand to signal for the others to come forward. "Alright, the coast is clear, and I can even see the outline of the Burger Tank through all this damn rain." He says.

Each of Nick's companions helps him get over the fence, but when he does, he nearly falls over himself, barely managing to grab on to Ellis's shirt to keep himself from hitting the water at his feet.

"Hold on guys, those pain pills are wearin' off and I can feel the blood starting to flow again." He says, and both Ellis and Rochelle help him over to the tailgate of a nearby truck.

There is a large red stain on the shirt and coat of Nick's soaking wet suit and it has started to spread further across his clothes. He pulls his suit coat off and ties it around his waist to help stop the bleeding.

"Agh, to think I made it so far, and now I might be done in by a dead Hunter." He says softly, and then lets out a small chuckle.

"Don't worry Nick, you're gonna be alright. Once we get to the restaurant, we should be able to find some first-aid kits to help heal your wounds." Coach tells him, but in his mind Nick knows it'll take more than a few bandages and some gauze to stop the bleeding.

"Just tell us when you feel like moving on, and we'll help you get there." Rochelle adds, and Nick nods.

After a few moments, Nick is finally willing to go on, and so both Coach and Ellis help him out of the bed of the truck and place his arms around each of their shoulders. The four survivors trudge through the flooded streets towards the Burger Tank, and once they're inside, they set off to find a first-aid kit for their companion. Rochelle returns with one and Coach sets Nick down in one of the chairs.

"Hold still or I might mess this up." Rochelle says jokingly as she wraps the bandages around his waist.

"This will only help for so long you know. I need to get some real medical attention or I'm gonna bleed to death." Nick explains to the others.

Coach shakes his head, "Now you know we ain't gonna let that happen. Just try and hold out until Virgil gets here alright?"

Ellis suddenly cuts into the conversation. "Uhh, how exactly are we supposed to signal him anyways? I mean, we sorta left the flare guns on his boat." he points out.

Everyone starts to look around for something to use, and that's when Nick leans back in his chair and sees the giant Burger Tank sign jettisoning up towards the sky from the roof.

"What about that?" he says as he points upward.

The others look over at him, and then up through the hole in the roof. Coach pats Nick on the back and laughs to himself, "Nice going Nick, that's exactly what we need. We'll turn the sign on and hold out on the roof until Virgil gets here."

Everyone then heads up onto the roof using an access ladder in the back of the restaurant. They all gather near the breaker box which is supposed to power the sign, and take a tally of every useful item they have to defend themselves with.

"I've still got my fire-axe." Ellis says. "Oh, and I also got about 4 clips worth of bullets left in my Hunting Rifle." He adds.

"I still have a pipe-bomb, which will be useful if we get surrounded. And I also have a good amount of bullets left for my M-16." Says Rochelle over the sound of the rolling thunder. "How about you Coach?" she asks as she turns to face him.

"Hell, I've got a Molotov, and this here chainsaw should have enough fuel to last us through this last fight. I've got my glock as backup as well." He says.

Everyone then looks over at Nick, who is leaning up against the AC unit grasping his stomach. "What? I can still help you guys fight these bastards off. I may be down, but I sure as hell ain't out." He tells them, and then pulls the Desert Eagle he picked up back at the gun store in Savannah and presses a clip into the bottom.

"Alright, here's how things are gonna go down. Ro, you stand over there and keep an eye out for any infected that might try and climb up the ladder. Youngun, you place yourself right on top of that AC unit Nick is leaning up against so you can give us an early warning if anything particularly nasty shows up. I'll stand on this side and protect your rear flank." Coach orders. He then turns to face Nick, "Nick, you think your hands are steady enough to protect Ro if anything manages to get behind her?" he asks.

Nick gives the old football coach a feint smile, "They won't ever get close enough to even touch her." He replies, and a smile comes across Coach's face as well.

Coach then heads over to the breaker box and places his hand on the switch, "Let's get this party started!" he shouts, and then flips the switch. Within seconds, the sign lights up and begins to slowly spin in place.

The signature howls of the infected horde echo above the sound of the pouring rain, and everyone takes their places atop the roof. Coach revs his chainsaw, Ellis perches himself atop the AC unit with his Hunting Rifle at the ready, Rochelle kneels near the ladder, and Nick aims his Desert Eagle at the hole in the middle of the roof.

"Here they come!" Ellis shouts while looking down the scope of his rifle. He fires off a few shots and manages to pop a few heads.

Lightning flashes, giving everyone a brief glimpse of the incoming horde. Ellis continues to pick off any infected that he can as they crawl over the various scattered vehicles and pieces of construction equipment.

"Alright Rochelle, they're comin' up your way!" the young southern boy shouts as the infected leave his line of sight.

Rochelle already has her iron sights focused on the ladder leading up to their position, and releases a hail of bullets as they start to scramble on to the rooftop.

"Reloading!" she shouts, and now it's up to Nick to keep them back.

Nick raises his gun and blows a few of the infected away as Rochelle places another magazine into her M-16. She rejoins the fray and unloads another clip, tearing through the remaining infected with ease.

The rain suddenly begins to pick up again and multiple bolts of lightning strike down all around them. The survivors can barely see the ground below them, and can barely make out the cries of another horde which has seen their distress signal.

Coach glances over his shoulder at the edge of the river behind the restaurant. "Come on Virgil, where are you brother?" he says to himself.

"I think I see another horde over by that semi!" Ellis shouts, and then swings the barrel of his rifle to face that direction.

Without warning, a long, slimy tongue wraps around his arms and begins to pull him towards the edge of the roof. "Damn Smoker's got me!" he cries, and Coach rushes to his aid.

He lifts his chainsaw above his head and gives it full power as he beings it down and slices through the Smoker's tongue. A small amount of blood spurts out of the cut part of the tongue and flops harmlessly to the ground.

Ellis aims down his scope and a sudden crack of lightning helps him spot the silhouette of the Smoker attempting to retreat. "Where do ya think you're goin'? You're just gonna tongue an' leave? Now that hurts my feelings!" he shouts, and then shoots the Smoker in the back three separate times.

With a final shriek, the Smoker falls to its knees and then flat on its face.

"Woo-hoo, you guys see that shit!? Ah man that Smoker didn't know who he was messin' with!" Ellis boasts.

"Alright, alright, that was a nice shot boy; now get movin' back to your lookout point." Coach compliments, and then heads back to his original position as well.

Dozens of infected are climbing atop the restaurant from all sides, and even through the hole at the center of the roof.

"Coach, hand me that Molotov!" Nick shouts, and Coach reaches down for the bottle of liquor and tosses it to his ally.

Nick lights the Molotov with his lighter, and then chucks it down the hole on the dozens of zombies below. "Burn you sons of bitches!" he shouts as the flames engulf the zombies.

The other infected are still climbing up the sides of the restaurant, but now everyone cane focus their full attention on them, and so everyone backs up to where Nick is sitting so they can deal with them more effectively. Ellis drops his Hunting Rifle and pulls his axe out and starts chopping any zombie who gets too close. Rochelle watches the front of the group and continues to pop the zombie's heads along with Nick, while Coach covers the rear and runs his chainsaw through the infected horde.

Coach kicks an infected corpse off the side of the roof and wipes his hand over his bald head. "That's some great work everybody!" he compliments.

Just then, the four survivors hear the sound of a blow horn coming from their rear. It honks a few more times, and the survivors jump for joy.

"Aww yeah, we're gettin' outta here! Ellis, help me bring Nick over to the docks. Rochelle, you cover our retreat!" the aging man orders and Ellis complies.

The two of them bring Nick to his feet, and he lets out a loud grunt as his wound is being stretched from sitting down for so long. "Easy with the merchandise guys!" he says as they head over to climb down the ladder.

After a few moments, they're back down in the water, and they can just barely make out the headlights from Virgil's boat. Nick lifts his gun and starts to fire off at the pursuing infected as he is dragged through the murky water. As he is doing so, he can feel the gun getting heavier in his hands, and his vision is beginning to fade.

Rochelle hops down behind them and takes over picking off their pursuers. Her gun suddenly clicks empty, and she tosses it to the ground. She takes the pipe-bomb off her belt and uses her lighter to light the fuse. "Pipe-bomb out!" she shouts, and then tosses it as hard as she can.

The infected chase after the beeping explosive and push each other down as they try and grab it off the ground. One of them finally manages to get a hold of it and waves it in the air before it goes off and sends zombie limbs and innards all over the place.

"Yee-haw! Nice one girl!" Ellis shouts as he waves his hands in the air.

Rochelle then looks back to give her allies a thumb's up when she notices that Nick is no longer moving. She scrambles over to him and places her hands around his face.

"Nick!? Nick wake up!" she shouts, and then slaps his cheeks a bit.

His eyes barely shift open, and he gives her a feint smile. "Heh, looks like you messed up on applying that first-aid after all." He jokingly whispers to her through his fatigue.

Rochelle forces a smile. "Well, I'll just have to make sure I do a better job next time won't I?" she replies in a sarcastic manner.

A feint smile forms across Nick's face. "I don't think there's gonna be a next time sweetheart." He replies groggily.

"No, what are you saying? You're going to make it, you have to!" she screams, but Nick just shakes his head.

His head starts to bob and his eyes start to glaze over. He looks up at everyone barely managing to keep one eye open and says, "It's been a helluva ride everyone. You've made me see that depending on others for help might not be such a bad thing after all…"

He then glances up at Ellis, who has his hat pressed against his chest in respect. "Overalls….say hi to Keith for me." He says, and then coughs up a bit of blood.

"Sure thing brother." Is Ellis's response.

"We won't ever forget you Nicholas, you were a great friend." Coach says, and then places a hand on his shoulder.

Rochelle places her hand against Nick's cheek while the others stand over them. He looks deeply into her eyes, and the last thing he says is, "Ro…I'm sorry…I never…told…" but before he can finish, his body becomes still, his eyes glaze over completely, and his head hangs off to the side, resting on his shoulder.

"What? Never told me what? Nick! God damn it Nick don't leave us like this!" she shouts as she pounds on his chest and sobs uncontrollably.

Coach grabs onto her shoulders and tries to pry her away. "Come on Ro, the boat's here, and the infected are getting closer. Nick would want you to get to safety." He tells her.

"We're not leaving him here! He deserves a proper burial!" she says as Coach tries to pull her away.

Coach nods his head, and both he and Ellis take Nick by his hands and arms and carry him over to where Virgil has docked. The remaining three survivors hop onto the back of the boat, and Virgil immediately takes off as the infected stumble in to the water in a last ditch effort to catch their prey.

Coach and Ellis just stand at the edge of the boat, while Rochelle grasps Nick's lifeless hand and weeps over his body. The boat fades out of the infected's sight, and the storm rolls on.


End file.
